Court rejects Lake Zurich cablecar project

According to the plans, the cablecar would have 18 cabins, each able to carry 34 people between the Mythenquai beach on one side of the lake to the Zurichhorn park on the other. Keystone

A Zurich court has rejected plans for a cablecar link crossing over Lake Zurich, stating that the project, known as ‘Zuribahn’, did not have sufficient local support. 

The court annulled construction plans for the city cablecar, which had been presented by Zurich Cantonal Bank (ZKB) to mark the bank’s 150^th birthday in 2020.

The “Zuribahn” cablecar, which was due to be in place for five years, had the backing of Zurich city and cantonal authorities but face some local opposition. 

According to the plans, the cablecar would have 18 cabins, each able to carry 34 people between the Mythenquai beach on one side of the lake to the Zurichhorn park on the other. The project was expected to cost between CHF50-80 million ($51-81 million), paid entirely by ZKB as a gift to the city. 

In last Friday’s ruling, the court said the project had only been inscribed in regional plans – not a cantonal document. It also criticised a lack of democratic legitimacy, especially given that the cablecar will have an impact on the landscape and will be built across the lake.

A ZKB spokesperson told Keystone-SDA news agency that it had taken note of the court ruling. “We are currently analysing the situation and the next steps to take within the legal deadlines,” he said. The bank may appeal the court decision. 

Switzerland has many cablecar links in mountainous regions, but rarely builds them in urban areas such as the congested Zurich.